


The Importance of Understanding

by WashedAwayCloud (HowlingSentinel)



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: De-Aged!Steve, Drabble, Gen, bb!steve, family like feels, little!steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-07-02
Packaged: 2018-03-06 14:48:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3138221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowlingSentinel/pseuds/WashedAwayCloud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Steve gets de-aged to about 6 years old during a mission. Of course, the Avengers care for him until Tony/Bruce/SHIELD/Asgardian knowledge finds a solution. In the meantime, Steve only has memories up to 6 years old (he was frightened at first, where's his mom, but the Avengers got him to trust them); he's small for his age, scrawny, and often sick, walking around with the sniffles and huddled in his comfort blankie; he's shy about food because it's such a scarce and valuable resource from his time; he's quiet and jumps and sudden noises because of bullies; basically, he's so small and vulnerable, so different from the Captain America everyone's used to--and he just melts everyone's hearts (even Nick Fury).</p><p>Cue Thor trying to feed Steve like a baby bird (well-meaning but awkward parenting, lol), Clint carrying Steve on his shoulders and showing him the benefits of an aerial view (paper bombs on the other Avengers), quiet card games with Coulson, Tony reading Steve to sleep, cameo of Hulk being gentle with Steve (holding Steve's small hand carefully, Steve napping on the Hulk's back/shoulders), etc etc etc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Importance of Understanding

Bruce felt the anger boil over the top of his well built walls and turned frightened eyes onto the two foot 35 pound child who held out his now factory restored tablet. He knew - _knew_  that Jarvis had back ups and that Steve hadn't meant it but the quick spurt of rage had caught him by surprise.  
  
“Mister Banner, you're turning kinda green.” There was a tinge of fear there, and it made him angrier, at himself, and the process sped while he scurry/fell off the couch, and tried to put as much distance between himself and Steve as possible.   
  
“G-geeh-  **raag** ”  
  
“M-mister Banner?”  
  
Then he was green and pounding at the Other Guy's mind trying to tell him not to hurt the child.  
  
“Little one break squishy man's tablet.”   
  
“I'm sorry. I got curious and -” Steve rambled, wheezing a little before being cut off.  
  
“It o.k. Hulk break things, too. Squishy man forgive.”  
  
“Oh..that's real swell of him. Can..can we listen to the radio until Mister Banner get's back?”  
  
The Hulk gave a grunt and he let himself be led by the hand by the rail thin and oddly small human to the couch. He didn't hold the kid's hand, but held his own so the child could tug him where it wanted to him to be.   
  
“I don't know much about this here radio Mister Tony's got but Jarvis is a real sport about helping me find things.”  
  
“Hn”  
 _“What would the little Master like to listen to this afternoon? There is a baseball game starting, and an english radio mystery is just about half way done.”_  
  
“Baseball!” Steve chirped happily, climbing onto the couch beside the Hulk. The game started and soon the six year old was snoring away, cuddled against the Hulk's arm, blanket and all, without a care in the world.  
  
Bruce relaxed in the deepest corner of the Other Guy's mind. Seems big green had a soft spot for kids who broke things – it really didn't surprise him.


End file.
